Vehicle tow bar



March 25, 1947. H. H. HEUERMAN VEHICLE TOW BAR Patented Mar. 25, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,417,871 VEI-IICLE TOW BAR Henry H. Heuerman Winter Haven, F124. Applidatin October 17, 1944, Serial N0. 559,032

My invention re1ates co towing means and especially a tow po1e whereby a disabled veh-icle can be towed by another.

Briefly end genera-ily stated, the invention has among its objeots to provide a device cf the character specified Which is simple in construction; readily attachable and detachable; can be reducad in lineal dimension fr storage purposes and locked in variable extension for use; and employs novel hook-up means whereby it is adapted to be supported and braced against axles or bumpers of the towing end towed vehicles.

Other objects and advantages cf the invention will be readily appreciated from a. reading of the following detailed description of the now preferred example of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawing iliustrating the Same.

Claims. (C1. 280'--33.14)

II; should be understood, however, that the invention is susceptible of other mechanical expressions within the spirit end scope of the subject matter claimed hereinafter.

In the drawing wherein the same reference charaoters have been useci to designate the same parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my tow p01e showing the application of Same to a towing and towed vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a, top plan view thereof Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the 1ine 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal view haken on theiine 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring 120 the drawings by reference characters, numera l 5 designa;tes a. length of tube having at its outer end a transverse axle-engageable stop plate 8 whose upper end has the forwardly extending axle supported fiangg; extension I. This axle-supported extension I has the medial s1ot 8 opening from its outer end to receive a portion of cable I4 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

Flange I has the rear extension 'Ia Whioh has the medial cable-terminal-receiving slot 9, cletai1ed reference to which will be made later.

Telescoping into the inner end. of the tube 1ength 5 is a second tube length I0 of smaller diameter, whose unter end is likewise provided with an axle-engageable stop p1ate 6 whose upper end has a forwardly extending axle-supported flange I2 and rearwardly extending cab1e terminal keeping flange I2a. These flanges are inwardly slotted. as indicated at I3, and I3a, re-

spectively.

Extended. through the communieating linear passages of the tubes 5, II) is a oabie HI, preierably of meta1, and having secured in any desired manner to its en'ds the preferably cyl'indrical b1ocks 20 whose peripheries a'2e cut with a ci'1cunI-9 ferential groove 20a. In use the block groov es 29a admit of insertion of the cable terminalblocks 29 into the rear flange sl0tS 9 o1 I3a an'd' slidably embrace a.djacent portions of the assocziated rear fiange extensions 'Ia or I2a, as shown.

In oraler to retain the tube menibers 5, III in a; predetermined iineally adjusiled' relationship, I provide the inner end of the tube lengt'h 5 with' clamp means, carried by a collar or c1ip I5 Which is welded, er otherwise secu'red theret0. In the illustrated. embodiment of the invention, the C61- l'ar I5 is shown With a thickened and flattenedtop portion, and extending tmnsversely therethrough is the pin I6 having the cam portion I6b intermediate its ends; es best shown in Fig. 3;.

A lever I9 carried by a; nut I8 se0ured at one end. of cam pin IG serves to turn the cam I6b into looking engagement with th inner tube III through a s1ot, 01' outout 5a in tube 5f (Fig; 3). Ihe opposite end of pin I6 has the flange Ilia to retain it against withdrawa;l end there is preierabl3r provided the washer which is interposed between said. pin flange end the outer periphery of thetube 5, as shown in Fig. 2.

From the fore-going description, taken in counection with the drawing, the manner of use of the device Will, it is believed; be readily umlerstood. When the device is to be applied, one of the vertical end. flange (6, for instance) is dis- I;o b-e towed, With the associated axle-supported extension 'I' resting upon the sa;id axle. Then the cable HI is pulled about the ax1e 22, into the s1ot 8 in fia;nge I, and the adjacent terminal block is slid into plane in the s1ot 9 of rear flange extension 1a. Thereupon the satter pin 23is inserted through horizontal holes in fiange 'Ia to span the slot 9 to retain the terminal block in said s1ot.

Next the cable I I is turned about the rear axle 2I of the towing vehicle, passed into the slot I3 of the ax1e supported flange I2 of tube III, and -its daher terminal block 20 slid into p1ace in the slot I3a of the associated rear flange I2a. If the Isubes 5, I0 have not heretofore been locked in relative a.djusted relationship, this is now done by manipulation of the cam pin I6, I6b, Ia (see Fig. 3) by manipulation of lever I9. A second cotter pin 23 is employed, as explained in connection with the o-ther (cerminal block 20 to retain 3 the last mentioned block in slot l3a of flange 12a.

The device is obviously extremely simple, streng and durable, and easily applied and removed. Needless to say the cable and loops may be secured to vehicle bumpers as Well as axles. Gable M being free to slicle in the communicating bares of tubes 5, I Will tightem itself; and the clamp I9, I6, I6b locks the two tubes together against relative lineal movement in service. Thus danger of the two vehicles smashing into one another, in case the towing vehicle is stopped suddenly, is avoided.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A towing connection for vehicles, comprising in combination, a pair of extensible members, a cable extendinl; through said members and beyond the ends thereof and adapted to be looped about a vehicle axle er bumper, means for locking said members in dlflerent relatively adjusted positiohs, an offset axle-supported fiange extension at the outer end 015 each of said extensible members, a substantially vertical axle-stop fiange connecting said axle supported fianges to said respective taube ends, and means carried by one of each of Said pair of fianges f0r securing the adjacent'cable end thereto, said ofiset axle-supported fiange having a cable-receiving slot opening from its outer end a transversely grooved terminal block secured to each encl of said cable and slottecl block-receiving keepers ab the ends of saicl tubes.

2. The combination set forth in claim l, anal said extensible members being telescoping tube members, said locking means comprising a, leveroperated cam-type clamp carried by the entermost o1 said taube members and having a portion adapted to lockingly engage the other tube memher, said. Offset axle-supported flange having a cable-receiving slot opening from its outer encl, a trz'msversely grooved terminal block secured to each end of said cable, and slotted block-receiving keepers at the ends of said tubes.

3. A towing connection for vehicles comprislng in combination, an elongated tubular member, a cable extending through said member and beyond the ends thereof anal adapted to be looped about a vehicle axle er bumper, means for securing the ends of said cable to the adjacent end of said tubular member and the latter in abutting relationship to the axle, and saicl means at one end of Said tubular member comprlsing an 01T- set. 'aiile supported fiange extension disposed laterally of the plane of the tubular member whereby to dispose said tubular member in substantial alignment with an axle, a substantially vertical axle stop flange connecting said axle supported fiange to said tubular member, said axle supported flange having an open slot in its end adapted to receive said cable, an enlargement on the end of saicl cable and said axle supported flange having a slotted rear extension adapted to receive said cable and engage said enlargement.

4. A towing connection for vehicles comprising in combination, an elongatecl tubular member, a cable extending through said member and beyond the ends thereof and adapted to be looped about a vehicle axle or bumper, an ofi-set axle supported flange extension ab the unter ends of said tubular member, a substantially vertical axle stop flange connec'ting said axle supported flanges to the respective encls 01" said tubular member, means carried by one of each of said pairs of flanges for securing the adjacent cable end thereto, saiol axle supported fianges being off-set laterally beyoncl theaxis of said tubular member whereby pressure against said axle stop flange will be substantially in line With the axis of saicl tubular member, at least one of said off-set axle supported fianges having a. cable receiving slot openlng from its outer end, a transversely grooved terminal block secured to the adjacent encl of said cable, ancl a slottecl block receiving keeper at the end of said tubular member.

5. A towing connection for vehicles comprising in combination, an elongated tubular member, a cab1e extending through said member and beyond the encls thereof anol adapted to be looped about a vehicle axle er bumper an elf-Set axle supported fiange extension als the unter ends of said tubular member, a substantially vertical axle stop flange connec-ting saicl axle supported fiangas to the respective encls of said tubular member, means carried by one of each cf saicl pairs of fianges for securing the acljacent cable encl thereto, said axle supportecl flanges being oiT-set laterally beyond the axis of said tubular member whereby pressure against said axle stop fiange will be substantially in line with the axis of said tubular member, a1; least one of said OfT-S8t axial supportlng flanges havlng a, cable receiving s1ot opening from its outer end, a, terminal block on the encl of the cable acljacent the slottecl axial supporteol flange and said axial supported fiange having a recess adapted 130 receive said block whereby to anchor the cable.

HENRY H. HEUERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED 'Ihe following references are cf record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1273,064 Huber July 16, 1918 1435064 Holmes Nov. l, 1922 1563,860 Jacobson Dec. 1, 1925 

